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A morning walk for coffee leads Mira somewhere she didn’t expect—into the steady rhythm of a carpenter’s hands and the fiery strike of a blacksmith’s hammer. Both encounters stir something she’s tried to keep buried.
But why does it feel like these men carry pieces of her story? And what’s behind the mystery no one in town seems willing to explain?
✨ New here? Be sure to start with Episode 1—every chapter in Promise Hill builds on the last.
And if you’re walking through something heavy right now, please don’t go it alone. Reach out to a trusted counselor or mental health professional. You are deeply worthy of that kind of support.
So grateful you’re here, friend. Thank you for spending this time with me.
Hosted by Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.
WEBVTT
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Welcome back to Promise Hill.
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This is Chapter 8,
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The Walk,
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The Wood,
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and The Fire.
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Hello,
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I'm Kimberlee Herman,
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your host.
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And let me just say,
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today's episode holds a little more heat,
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a little more heart,
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and a few unexpected turns.
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Sometimes it's the quiet mornings that stir something deep.
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A walk.
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a scent,
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a sound,
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and suddenly,
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you're standing in front of something you didn't know you needed.
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Before we begin,
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I just want to thank you truly for listening.
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Whether you've been here from the beginning or just found your way to this little corner of story and soul,
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I'm so grateful.
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You make this town feel lived in.
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You remind me that words matter and that healing happens in community,
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even the kind that gathers through headphones.
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So,
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pour something warm or cold,
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settle in,
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and let's see what unfolds.
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You're right where you're meant to be.
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Let's listen in.
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Mira had fallen asleep thinking about her day with her mom and grandma Eden.
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So much grief she has shoved down to try to forget.
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It was early the next morning,
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with the light gently streaming in the living room window.
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The sun nudging Mira to wake her up.
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She decided to get dressed and take a morning walk to clear her mind.
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She headed towards the Daily Bread for some fresh coffee,
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but the rhythmic sound of a saw cutting through wood caught her attention.
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She looked across the street from the bakery to Nathaniel Ember's woodworking shop.
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Ember and Oak,
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where wood becomes art.
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The door was open,
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revealing the scent of fresh-cut timber and varnish.
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Something about the steady,
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intentional work inside drew her in.
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She briskly ran across the street.
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Stepping over the threshold,
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she found Nathaniel at his workbench,
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running his hand over the smooth grain of a half-carved chair leg.
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He looked up,
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his expression warm but perceptive.
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Hi there,
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Mira.
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It's good to see you again.
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How can I help you on this beautiful sunny morning?
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Um,
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I wasn't planning on stopping by,
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but your shop drew me in.
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It's peaceful here.
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Nathaniel nodded,
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setting down his chisel.
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I agree.
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Wood has a way of teaching patience,
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which brings calm.
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Every piece has imperfections.
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A good carpenter doesn't throw it away.
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He shapes it.
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Mira let those words settle.
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She ran her fingers over a carved armrest,
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feeling the grooves and curves.
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the careful touch that had shaped it.
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But what if something's too damaged,
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too warped?
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Nathaniel smiled gently.
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Even the most broken wood has purpose.
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Sometimes it just needs a different use.
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A sudden clang from outside behind the shop made Mira jump.
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She turned toward the open rear door,
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where the unmistakable sound of metal striking metal rang out.
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She stepped outside and saw a large man.
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His ginger wavy hair blew in the soft wind as he was at his forge,
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hammering a glowing piece of iron with sharp,
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forceful strikes.
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The heat from the fire flickered in his eyes,
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and the intensity in his movements told her that whatever he was forging,
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it was more than just metal.
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Mira realized this was the man she had seen a few weeks ago when she was leaving the Daily Bread and headed towards her mom's place in Whispering Pines,
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the man in the shadows that made her feel unsettled.
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She stood staring at the intensity of his movements.
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Nathaniel walked over.
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That's Gideon Thorne.
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He comes off a little gruff,
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but he's a good man and an excellent iron craftsman.
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Mira studied the tension in his shoulders,
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the way his grip tightened around the hammer.
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Just then,
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Gideon turned around and noticed Mira.
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He thought to himself that it looks like she is standing in a fire herself.
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Gideon knows...
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all too well what that feels like.
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He turned the cooled iron in his hands and loudly shared,
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Metal doesn't always cooperate.
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Sometimes it bends wrong,
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cracks under pressure.
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He turned it over again,
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testing its strength.
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Doesn't mean it's useless.
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Just means you have to go back to the fire.
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Try again.
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Mira swallowed,
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hearing something deeper in his words.
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And what if it keeps breaking?
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Gideon met her gaze.
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Then you find someone who knows how to reshape it.
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A gust of wind swept through the alley,
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carrying the scent of burning coal and fresh bread.
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Mira felt something shift in her chest.
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Maybe there was something to be learned here.
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Maybe she wasn't as alone in the fire as she thought.
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As Mira turned to leave,
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she caught one last glance at Gideon,
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still holding the iron in his hands.
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He wasn't just shaping the metal.
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He was shaping himself.
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And maybe,
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in some way,
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so was she.
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Mira said goodbye to Nathaniel and Gideon and briskly walked over to see Charity for her morning brew.
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Mira,
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it's so good to see you.
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I have a toasted marshmallow latte with a side of a fluffy steaming croissant just for you.
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Thank you,
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Charity.
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Your food is delicious as always.
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Quick question.
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Do you hang out with Nathaniel and Gideon?
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Just at church and around town we bump into each other,
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but I'm a bit older than they are.
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Mira sipped her latte,
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her thoughts drifting as she watched the steam curl up from the cup,
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the warmth of the bakery,
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the scent of coffee and fresh bread.
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It all felt safe,
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familiar,
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but something about this morning had stirred the ashes of something long buried.
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She glanced out the window toward the woodworking shop and the forge beyond it.
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This may sound strange,
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but I feel like they know something I need to learn.
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Like I was meant to see both of them today.
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Charity studied her a moment.
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Perhaps you were.
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Mira leaned back.
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Charity,
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do you believe things happen on purpose?
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Charity didn't answer right away.
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She wiped her hands on a linen towel and leaned across the counter.
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I believe God doesn't waste a thing.
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Not a broken heart.
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Not a wrong turn.
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Not even a morning walk for coffee.
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Just then,
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a gust of wind pushed through the bakery door before it clicked shut again.
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Mira felt it in her bones.
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Something was coming.
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What can you tell me about them?
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Both are great men with very different life stories.
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Charity spoke as she put warm chocolate mint chip cookies in the display case while keeping her eyes on Mira.
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Nathaniel's been here his whole life.
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His family's all local,
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salt-of-the-earth type.
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He's never been married,
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though plenty of women have tried to catch his eye.
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Mira raised an eyebrow.
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He seems settled.
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Charity smiled.
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Oh,
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he is quiet,
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steady,
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one of those men who really focuses on the present moment and his craft.
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You won't get gossip from him.
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And Gideon?
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Charity's smile faded just a touch.
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Oh,
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he is a gruff one,
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yeah.
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But he'd show up for a friend in the middle of a storm.
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His dad raised him when his mom left town,
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years back.
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He lived a few towns over in Lake City for most of his life.
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He doesn't talk about it much,
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keeps things close to the chest.
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Mira leaned in.
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But
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Charity hesitated,
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wiping her hands on a towel that was already clean.
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He has a story to tell.
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but it's not mine to share.
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She looked toward the window,
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her voice softer now.
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Let's just say,
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if you ever do hear it,
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you'll understand why he keeps the forge fire going so late.
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And there is something unusual that Gideon does each year.
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Every year,
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on the same night,
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Gideon disappears.
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No one knows where he goes,
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not even Nathaniel.
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He just vanishes and comes back,
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quieter than ever.
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ever before.
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I am sharing that with you because when he returns,
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his demeanor changes significantly for about a week after.
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You will feel like he is angry with you when actually he's angry at his inner turmoil.
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When does he leave?
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Charity looked down at the calendar on the wall.
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It looks like it's coming up in a few weeks.
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Mira's eyes followed Charity's gaze,
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back across the street to the forge,
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where smoke still trailed faintly from the chimney.
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What started as a walk for coffee became a glimpse into two lives shaped by fire and patience.
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Nathaniel,
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steady and kind.
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Gideon,
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guarded but burning with something untold.
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Mira sensed it.
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These men weren't just part of Promise Hill.
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They were part of her story now.
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And as for that one night Gideon disappears,
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it's coming.
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Soon.
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And it's no coincidence.
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Take it away,
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Kimberlee.
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What started as a walk for coffee turned into a holy interruption.
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Mira stumbled into two men,
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Nathaniel,
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the steady craftsman,
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and Gideon,
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the guarded blacksmith,
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each carrying wisdom wrapped in wood and fire.
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Their words?
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Quiet truth bombs.
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Broken doesn't mean useless.
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Shaping takes time.
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Sometimes healing does too.
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Charity dropped a few breadcrumbs herself,
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just enough to hint there's more to Gideon that meets the eye,
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especially around parade day.
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Mira's not just passing through anymore.
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Promise Hill is calling her deeper,
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and friend,
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something's coming.
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I promise you we'll get to Grandma Eden's list of self-care tools soon,
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or at least a few of them.
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One more thing before we dive into reflections and action steps.
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You may not want to listen to all the reflections,
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and you certainly may not want to do all or any of the action steps.
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Don't feel you have to.
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I love to give choices,
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and you can use whatever you feel like using,
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including nothing at all.
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Maybe you're just here for the story,
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and that's okay too.
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I'm just happy to have you here.
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Let's dive into our five reflections.
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Number one,
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we are not thrown away.
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God shapes us.
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Nathanael's words about woodworking mirror how God sees us.
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Even with imperfections,
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we are shaped by his hands,
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not discarded.
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Hear it and hold it.
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Isaiah 64,
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verse 8.
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Yet you,
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Lord,
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are our Father.
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We are the clay,
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you are the potter.
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We are all the work of your hand.
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So maybe you've been feeling chipped,
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cracked,
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like life's carved a little too much off the edges.
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Boy,
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I know what that feels like.
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But friend,
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God doesn't toss aside what's flawed.
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He gets closer.
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00:12:00.807 --> 00:12:03.049
Like Nathanael with a crooked piece of wood,
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he leans in,
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sees the grain underneath and says,
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I can work with this.
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You're not scrap.
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You're not too far gone.
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You are still in the hands of the craftsman.
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And when God shapes,
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he shapes with purpose.
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Reflection number two.
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The fires of life refine us,
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not destroy us.
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Gideon's forge is a powerful image of how hardships refine our character.
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00:12:32.275 --> 00:12:33.955
Trials aren't meant to break us.
306
00:12:34.619 --> 00:12:36.080
They're supposed to make us stronger.
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00:12:37.721 --> 00:12:38.517
Hear it and hold it.
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00:12:38.658 --> 00:12:40.338
Malachi 3 verse 3.
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He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver.
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00:12:45.119 --> 00:12:48.306
He will purify the Levites and refine them like gold and silver.
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00:12:49.404 --> 00:12:52.507
If you've ever felt like the heat's been turned up in your life,
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you're not alone.
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00:12:53.890 --> 00:12:56.972
Gideon's Forge isn't just a place where metal bends,
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it's where strength is born.
315
00:12:59.335 --> 00:12:59.991
That fire,
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it's not there to destroy you.
317
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It's there to draw out what doesn't belong and reveal what does.
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God's not walking away when things get hard.
319
00:13:09.351 --> 00:13:11.507
He's pulling up a stool next to the fire,
320
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watching,
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00:13:12.601 --> 00:13:13.195
refining,
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knowing exactly how long to leave you in before pulling you out stronger,
323
00:13:17.929 --> 00:13:18.413
steadier.
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and more like him.
325
00:13:20.186 --> 00:13:21.788
So if you're in the thick of it right now,
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don't assume you're being punished.
327
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You might just be in the forge and that means something precious is being formed.
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00:13:30.297 --> 00:13:31.633
Reflection number three,
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even silence carries a story.
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Nathaniel's stillness and Gideon's fire spoke louder than words.
331
00:13:38.665 --> 00:13:43.430
Sometimes people's quiet presence isn't shaped by untold pain and earned wisdom.
332
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Not everyone's story is ready to be shared.
333
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but that doesn't mean it doesn't hold weight.
334
00:13:49.983 --> 00:13:50.903
Hear it and hold it.
335
00:13:50.985 --> 00:13:52.567
Proverbs 20 verse 5.
336
00:13:53.126 --> 00:13:55.727
The purposes of a person's heart are deep water,
337
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but one who has insight draws them out.
338
00:14:00.071 --> 00:14:02.094
Not every story comes wrapped in words.
339
00:14:02.516 --> 00:14:04.016
Some are carried in silence,
340
00:14:04.157 --> 00:14:10.938
in the way someone grips their coffee mug a little too long or stares out the window like they're somewhere else entirely.
341
00:14:11.797 --> 00:14:12.860
Nathaniel's stillness,
342
00:14:12.985 --> 00:14:14.782
Gideon's steady fire.
343
00:14:15.976 --> 00:14:16.737
They weren't empty.
344
00:14:17.018 --> 00:14:19.101
They were full of things not yet spoken.
345
00:14:20.044 --> 00:14:20.826
We forget that,
346
00:14:20.904 --> 00:14:21.267
don't we?
347
00:14:21.908 --> 00:14:23.189
We rush in to fix,
348
00:14:23.388 --> 00:14:24.568
to fill the silence.
349
00:14:25.091 --> 00:14:27.255
But sometimes the holiest thing we can do...
350
00:14:27.836 --> 00:14:51.439
is sit beside someone and let the quiet speak because pain doesn't always announce itself and wisdom doesn't always need a microphone so be the kind of person who listens with your eyes who doesn't push who trusts that when the time is right what's buried in those deep waters will rise if someone kind is there to draw it out reflection
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number four god often uses ordinary moments to prepare us for something sacred
352
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A simple walk,
353
00:14:58.865 --> 00:14:59.886
a clang of a hammer,
354
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a hot mug in a bakery.
355
00:15:02.288 --> 00:15:05.815
They were all breadcrumbs leading Mira closer to something deeper.
356
00:15:06.495 --> 00:15:09.354
Don't overlook the divine in the everyday.
357
00:15:10.620 --> 00:15:11.721
Hear it and hold it.
358
00:15:11.854 --> 00:15:13.182
Proverbs 3 verse 6.
359
00:15:13.893 --> 00:15:14.925
In all your ways,
360
00:15:15.034 --> 00:15:17.784
acknowledge him and he will make your path straight.
361
00:15:19.159 --> 00:15:21.831
We're always looking for burning bushes and parted seas.
362
00:15:22.471 --> 00:15:23.628
But more often than not,
363
00:15:23.768 --> 00:15:27.331
God shows up in the clink of a spoon or the warmth of a mug.
364
00:15:27.680 --> 00:15:28.980
Press between your palms.
365
00:15:29.580 --> 00:15:31.341
He speaks through the ordinary,
366
00:15:32.499 --> 00:15:33.421
through routines,
367
00:15:34.663 --> 00:15:38.226
through the nudge to stop and breathe when everything feels too loud.
368
00:15:39.242 --> 00:15:42.523
That's what was happening to Mira even when she didn't know it.
369
00:15:42.765 --> 00:15:43.242
A walk,
370
00:15:43.484 --> 00:15:43.921
the wood,
371
00:15:44.109 --> 00:15:44.671
the fire,
372
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tiny moments carrying holy weight.
373
00:15:47.718 --> 00:15:48.671
They weren't random,
374
00:15:48.859 --> 00:15:49.843
they were breadcrumbs.
375
00:15:51.062 --> 00:15:52.812
Or sometimes I call them Godwinks.
376
00:15:53.390 --> 00:15:53.859
So today,
377
00:15:54.062 --> 00:15:56.452
don't overlook the sacred just because it's simple.
378
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God doesn't always shout.
379
00:15:58.673 --> 00:16:03.132
Sometimes he just clinks the metaphorical teacup and waits for you to notice.
380
00:16:04.874 --> 00:16:06.077
Reflection number five.
381
00:16:06.397 --> 00:16:09.358
God reveals the right people at the right time.
382
00:16:10.155 --> 00:16:13.296
Mira didn't stumble into that workshop and forge by accident.
383
00:16:13.749 --> 00:16:14.374
She was led,
384
00:16:14.889 --> 00:16:17.249
not with lightning bolts or angel choirs,
385
00:16:17.296 --> 00:16:18.124
but with a whisper,
386
00:16:18.624 --> 00:16:21.233
a feeling that drew her toward something deeper.
387
00:16:22.452 --> 00:16:23.421
Hear it and hold it.
388
00:16:23.499 --> 00:16:25.421
Ecclesiastes 3 verse 1.
389
00:16:25.928 --> 00:16:30.473
There is a time for everything and a season for every activity under the heavens.
390
00:16:31.274 --> 00:16:38.176
Sometimes God doesn't bring people into your life until your heart is ready to hear what their presence reveals.
391
00:16:39.098 --> 00:16:42.364
Nathaniel and Gideon weren't just skilled with wood and fire.
392
00:16:42.785 --> 00:16:46.332
They carried lessons that Mira couldn't have grasped a month ago.
393
00:16:47.129 --> 00:16:48.317
Maybe not even yesterday.
394
00:16:49.285 --> 00:16:51.207
She had to walk through grief first.
395
00:16:52.348 --> 00:16:54.973
She had to feel the ache to understand the shaping.
396
00:16:55.580 --> 00:16:56.481
And when she did,
397
00:16:56.721 --> 00:17:00.425
God positioned the right people in the right moment to help her begin again.
398
00:17:01.347 --> 00:17:04.386
So if you're wondering why some doors open later than others,
399
00:17:04.769 --> 00:17:07.035
or why certain people show up out of nowhere,
400
00:17:07.574 --> 00:17:10.293
it might just be because now is when you're ready.
401
00:17:11.011 --> 00:17:13.058
Trust that God's timing isn't slow.
402
00:17:13.558 --> 00:17:14.605
It's specific.
403
00:17:16.464 --> 00:17:16.839
All right,
404
00:17:17.058 --> 00:17:19.558
let's talk about five action steps.
405
00:17:19.605 --> 00:17:20.168
And remember,
406
00:17:20.824 --> 00:17:22.808
use what you want and ignore the rest.
407
00:17:25.200 --> 00:17:27.182
Action number one.
408
00:17:27.183 --> 00:17:29.443
Let God reframe what you call broken.
409
00:17:30.584 --> 00:17:32.627
You may feel like a warped piece of wood,
410
00:17:32.748 --> 00:17:34.346
flawed and misshapen by life,
411
00:17:34.791 --> 00:17:36.814
but that doesn't mean you're unusable.
412
00:17:37.291 --> 00:17:37.611
Today,
413
00:17:37.791 --> 00:17:39.291
spend time in prayer asking,
414
00:17:39.892 --> 00:17:40.236
Lord,
415
00:17:40.338 --> 00:17:43.799
what do you see in me that I've overlooked or labeled as unworthy?
416
00:17:45.002 --> 00:17:50.924
Then write down one part of your story you've been challenged with and ask God to reshape how you view it.
417
00:17:51.388 --> 00:17:52.369
Now I want to remind you,
418
00:17:52.589 --> 00:17:54.972
if you've had some traumatic times in your life,
419
00:17:55.651 --> 00:17:57.335
this exercise wouldn't be for that.
420
00:17:57.413 --> 00:18:01.858
This is for the more of the minor things that need some attention.
421
00:18:02.460 --> 00:18:03.843
For more of the deeper ones,
422
00:18:04.124 --> 00:18:05.983
deeper areas of your story,
423
00:18:06.179 --> 00:18:13.304
that would be important to sit with someone that either is a really good friend or a trained therapist.
424
00:18:15.038 --> 00:18:15.710
Action number two,
425
00:18:16.491 --> 00:18:18.491
ask God what the fire is forging,
426
00:18:18.647 --> 00:18:20.163
not just what it's burning away.
427
00:18:20.820 --> 00:18:22.161
Hardships aren't pointless.
428
00:18:22.682 --> 00:18:23.444
They purify.
429
00:18:24.203 --> 00:18:26.147
In your journal or quiet time,
430
00:18:26.244 --> 00:18:28.069
list a trial you've been walking through.
431
00:18:28.729 --> 00:18:29.127
Under it,
432
00:18:29.205 --> 00:18:33.393
write three possible things God could be strengthening in you through it.
433
00:18:34.033 --> 00:18:35.338
Some ideas are courage,
434
00:18:35.651 --> 00:18:36.174
humility,
435
00:18:36.416 --> 00:18:37.104
patience,
436
00:18:37.229 --> 00:18:37.838
endurance.
437
00:18:38.682 --> 00:18:40.432
If you're meeting with a counselor or mentor,
438
00:18:40.604 --> 00:18:42.385
bring this into the conversation.
439
00:18:42.901 --> 00:18:45.385
Invite them into the refiner's fire with you.
440
00:18:45.447 --> 00:18:47.682
Action Question number three,
441
00:18:48.072 --> 00:18:49.604
practice quiet presence.
442
00:18:50.004 --> 00:18:51.465
for yourself or someone else.
443
00:18:52.186 --> 00:18:55.831
Choose one moment this week to not fill the silence.
444
00:18:56.452 --> 00:19:00.038
Whether you're sitting with someone who's hurting or sitting alone with your own grief,
445
00:19:00.397 --> 00:19:00.991
don't rush it.
446
00:19:01.475 --> 00:19:02.796
Let the quiet be sacred.
447
00:19:03.960 --> 00:19:05.897
Use breath prayers in that space.
448
00:19:06.366 --> 00:19:07.835
So as you're breathing in,
449
00:19:08.069 --> 00:19:09.147
say God is here.
450
00:19:09.866 --> 00:19:11.178
And then when you breathe out,
451
00:19:11.585 --> 00:19:12.631
say God is with me.
452
00:19:14.413 --> 00:19:15.303
Action number four,
453
00:19:16.053 --> 00:19:18.288
look for one sacred breadcrumb in your day.
454
00:19:19.164 --> 00:19:20.067
Before the day ends,
455
00:19:20.127 --> 00:19:24.541
pause and name one ordinary moment that carried unexpected peace or meaning.
456
00:19:25.001 --> 00:19:25.646
A smell,
457
00:19:25.724 --> 00:19:26.349
a sentence,
458
00:19:26.350 --> 00:19:27.029
a gesture.
459
00:19:27.596 --> 00:19:30.016
Write it down and thank God for speaking softly.
460
00:19:33.258 --> 00:19:34.137
Number five,
461
00:19:34.138 --> 00:19:37.235
discern who God may have placed in your life for this season.
462
00:19:38.860 --> 00:19:39.360
Ask God,
463
00:19:40.000 --> 00:19:43.625
who have you placed in front of me for a reason I haven't fully seen yet?
464
00:19:44.297 --> 00:19:45.219
Then take one step,
465
00:19:45.407 --> 00:19:45.875
reach out,
466
00:19:46.047 --> 00:19:46.516
follow up,
467
00:19:46.688 --> 00:19:48.360
sit across from them with intention.
468
00:19:50.657 --> 00:19:50.922
All right,
469
00:19:50.923 --> 00:19:51.766
let me pray for you.
470
00:19:53.157 --> 00:19:53.844
Father God,
471
00:19:54.094 --> 00:19:57.016
thank you for quiet mornings that whisper healing.
472
00:19:57.408 --> 00:19:59.411
for sunlight that nudges us awake,
473
00:19:59.790 --> 00:20:02.212
for the smell of sawdust and fresh bread,
474
00:20:02.595 --> 00:20:04.716
for the gentle grace of a new beginning.
475
00:20:05.493 --> 00:20:05.774
Lord,
476
00:20:05.993 --> 00:20:07.376
some of us are like Mira,
477
00:20:07.579 --> 00:20:09.720
carrying more grief than we know what to do with.
478
00:20:10.259 --> 00:20:11.282
We've shoved it down,
479
00:20:11.384 --> 00:20:12.126
tried to forget,
480
00:20:12.306 --> 00:20:13.227
buried it deep.
481
00:20:13.743 --> 00:20:14.149
But you,
482
00:20:14.259 --> 00:20:14.618
God,
483
00:20:15.446 --> 00:20:21.712
you have a way of guiding our feet into places that speak truth before we've even realized we're listening,
484
00:20:22.477 --> 00:20:24.181
like the steady hand of a carpenter.
485
00:20:25.148 --> 00:20:27.130
You shape what we thought was beyond repair.
486
00:20:27.751 --> 00:20:28.991
Like the fire in the forge,
487
00:20:29.013 --> 00:20:32.036
you refine what's been bent and broken under pressure.
488
00:20:32.493 --> 00:20:33.759
You don't throw us away.
489
00:20:33.915 --> 00:20:34.915
You repurpose.
490
00:20:35.376 --> 00:20:36.220
You redeem.
491
00:20:36.736 --> 00:20:37.564
You restore.
492
00:20:38.564 --> 00:20:40.626
Thank you for the Nathans in our lives,
493
00:20:40.681 --> 00:20:41.282
those steady,
494
00:20:41.407 --> 00:20:45.267
quiet souls who teach us that patience is part of the process.
495
00:20:46.032 --> 00:20:47.173
Thank you for the Gideons,
496
00:20:47.267 --> 00:20:50.907
those who know the heat of the flame and still choose to step back in,
497
00:20:51.439 --> 00:20:52.611
not just for themselves,
498
00:20:52.673 --> 00:20:54.251
but for others who are burning too.
499
00:20:55.036 --> 00:20:55.537
And Lord,
500
00:20:55.917 --> 00:20:57.899
when we feel too warped to be useful,
501
00:20:57.979 --> 00:20:59.819
too cracked to carry anything good,
502
00:21:00.202 --> 00:21:02.522
remind us that you are the craftsman.
503
00:21:03.327 --> 00:21:04.624
You see what others miss.
504
00:21:05.084 --> 00:21:07.147
You know how to reshape us with mercy.
505
00:21:07.592 --> 00:21:11.311
You know how to use the fire not to destroy but to strengthen.
506
00:21:12.811 --> 00:21:13.170
Help us,
507
00:21:13.233 --> 00:21:13.499
God,
508
00:21:13.561 --> 00:21:17.061
not to run from the places that feel intense or uncomfortable,
509
00:21:17.436 --> 00:21:20.467
but to lean into the moments where you're doing holy work.
510
00:21:21.124 --> 00:21:23.780
Sometimes healing comes through hammers and chisels.
511
00:21:24.088 --> 00:21:26.149
through unexpected conversations,
512
00:21:26.491 --> 00:21:29.872
through coffee and croissants and kindness at a bakery counter.
513
00:21:30.973 --> 00:21:31.176
God,
514
00:21:31.196 --> 00:21:32.700
if there's something buried in us,
515
00:21:32.880 --> 00:21:35.481
stir it up just enough for us to take notice.
516
00:21:36.059 --> 00:21:37.598
If we're standing in the fire,
517
00:21:37.841 --> 00:21:39.942
show us that you are right here with us.
518
00:21:40.372 --> 00:21:42.669
And when it's time to walk out of the forge,
519
00:21:43.387 --> 00:21:46.075
let us come out not just healed,
520
00:21:46.372 --> 00:21:48.169
but shaped into something stronger,
521
00:21:48.575 --> 00:21:48.966
truer,
522
00:21:49.153 --> 00:21:50.731
and more deeply yours.
523
00:21:51.387 --> 00:21:52.778
We may not know what's coming.
524
00:21:53.064 --> 00:21:55.425
but we trust the one who holds the tools.
525
00:21:55.947 --> 00:21:56.547
In Jesus'
526
00:21:56.728 --> 00:21:57.347
holy name,
527
00:21:57.910 --> 00:21:58.308
amen.
528
00:21:59.250 --> 00:21:59.730
Friends,
529
00:22:00.211 --> 00:22:03.914
may you find peace in the presence and hope on the hilltop.
530
00:22:04.398 --> 00:22:05.656
This is Kimberlee Herman,
531
00:22:06.078 --> 00:22:08.179
cheering you on from Promise Hill.
1
00:00:20.560 --> 00:00:22.337
Welcome back to Promise Hill.
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This is Chapter 8,
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The Walk,
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The Wood,
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and The Fire.
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Hello,
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I'm Kimberlee Herman,
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your host.
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And let me just say,
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today's episode holds a little more heat,
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a little more heart,
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and a few unexpected turns.
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Sometimes it's the quiet mornings that stir something deep.
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A walk.
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a scent,
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a sound,
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and suddenly,
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you're standing in front of something you didn't know you needed.
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Before we begin,
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I just want to thank you truly for listening.
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Whether you've been here from the beginning or just found your way to this little corner of story and soul,
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I'm so grateful.
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You make this town feel lived in.
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You remind me that words matter and that healing happens in community,
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even the kind that gathers through headphones.
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So,
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pour something warm or cold,
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settle in,
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and let's see what unfolds.
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You're right where you're meant to be.
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Let's listen in.
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Mira had fallen asleep thinking about her day with her mom and grandma Eden.
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So much grief she has shoved down to try to forget.
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It was early the next morning,
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with the light gently streaming in the living room window.
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The sun nudging Mira to wake her up.
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She decided to get dressed and take a morning walk to clear her mind.
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She headed towards the Daily Bread for some fresh coffee,
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but the rhythmic sound of a saw cutting through wood caught her attention.
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She looked across the street from the bakery to Nathaniel Ember's woodworking shop.
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Ember and Oak,
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where wood becomes art.
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The door was open,
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revealing the scent of fresh-cut timber and varnish.
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Something about the steady,
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intentional work inside drew her in.
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She briskly ran across the street.
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Stepping over the threshold,
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she found Nathaniel at his workbench,
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running his hand over the smooth grain of a half-carved chair leg.
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He looked up,
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his expression warm but perceptive.
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Hi there,
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Mira.
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It's good to see you again.
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How can I help you on this beautiful sunny morning?
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Um,
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I wasn't planning on stopping by,
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but your shop drew me in.
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It's peaceful here.
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Nathaniel nodded,
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setting down his chisel.
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I agree.
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Wood has a way of teaching patience,
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which brings calm.
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Every piece has imperfections.
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A good carpenter doesn't throw it away.
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He shapes it.
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Mira let those words settle.
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She ran her fingers over a carved armrest,
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feeling the grooves and curves.
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the careful touch that had shaped it.
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But what if something's too damaged,
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too warped?
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Nathaniel smiled gently.
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Even the most broken wood has purpose.
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Sometimes it just needs a different use.
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A sudden clang from outside behind the shop made Mira jump.
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She turned toward the open rear door,
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where the unmistakable sound of metal striking metal rang out.
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She stepped outside and saw a large man.
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His ginger wavy hair blew in the soft wind as he was at his forge,
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hammering a glowing piece of iron with sharp,
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forceful strikes.
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The heat from the fire flickered in his eyes,
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and the intensity in his movements told her that whatever he was forging,
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it was more than just metal.
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Mira realized this was the man she had seen a few weeks ago when she was leaving the Daily Bread and headed towards her mom's place in Whispering Pines,
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the man in the shadows that made her feel unsettled.
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She stood staring at the intensity of his movements.
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Nathaniel walked over.
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That's Gideon Thorne.
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He comes off a little gruff,
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but he's a good man and an excellent iron craftsman.
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Mira studied the tension in his shoulders,
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the way his grip tightened around the hammer.
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Just then,
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Gideon turned around and noticed Mira.
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He thought to himself that it looks like she is standing in a fire herself.
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Gideon knows...
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all too well what that feels like.
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He turned the cooled iron in his hands and loudly shared,
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Metal doesn't always cooperate.
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Sometimes it bends wrong,
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cracks under pressure.
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He turned it over again,
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testing its strength.
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Doesn't mean it's useless.
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Just means you have to go back to the fire.
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Try again.
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Mira swallowed,
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hearing something deeper in his words.
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And what if it keeps breaking?
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Gideon met her gaze.
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Then you find someone who knows how to reshape it.
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A gust of wind swept through the alley,
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carrying the scent of burning coal and fresh bread.
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Mira felt something shift in her chest.
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Maybe there was something to be learned here.
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Maybe she wasn't as alone in the fire as she thought.
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As Mira turned to leave,
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she caught one last glance at Gideon,
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still holding the iron in his hands.
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He wasn't just shaping the metal.
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He was shaping himself.
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And maybe,
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in some way,
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so was she.
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Mira said goodbye to Nathaniel and Gideon and briskly walked over to see Charity for her morning brew.
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Mira,
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it's so good to see you.
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I have a toasted marshmallow latte with a side of a fluffy steaming croissant just for you.
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Thank you,
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Charity.
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Your food is delicious as always.
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Quick question.
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Do you hang out with Nathaniel and Gideon?
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Just at church and around town we bump into each other,
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but I'm a bit older than they are.
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Mira sipped her latte,
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her thoughts drifting as she watched the steam curl up from the cup,
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the warmth of the bakery,
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the scent of coffee and fresh bread.
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It all felt safe,
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familiar,
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but something about this morning had stirred the ashes of something long buried.
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She glanced out the window toward the woodworking shop and the forge beyond it.
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This may sound strange,
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but I feel like they know something I need to learn.
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Like I was meant to see both of them today.
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Charity studied her a moment.
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Perhaps you were.
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Mira leaned back.
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Charity,
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do you believe things happen on purpose?
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Charity didn't answer right away.
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She wiped her hands on a linen towel and leaned across the counter.
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I believe God doesn't waste a thing.
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Not a broken heart.
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Not a wrong turn.
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Not even a morning walk for coffee.
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Just then,
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a gust of wind pushed through the bakery door before it clicked shut again.
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Mira felt it in her bones.
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Something was coming.
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What can you tell me about them?
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Both are great men with very different life stories.
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Charity spoke as she put warm chocolate mint chip cookies in the display case while keeping her eyes on Mira.
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Nathaniel's been here his whole life.
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His family's all local,
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salt-of-the-earth type.
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He's never been married,
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though plenty of women have tried to catch his eye.
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Mira raised an eyebrow.
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He seems settled.
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Charity smiled.
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Oh,
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he is quiet,
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steady,
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one of those men who really focuses on the present moment and his craft.
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You won't get gossip from him.
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And Gideon?
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Charity's smile faded just a touch.
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Oh,
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he is a gruff one,
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yeah.
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But he'd show up for a friend in the middle of a storm.
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His dad raised him when his mom left town,
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years back.
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He lived a few towns over in Lake City for most of his life.
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He doesn't talk about it much,
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keeps things close to the chest.
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Mira leaned in.
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But
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Charity hesitated,
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wiping her hands on a towel that was already clean.
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He has a story to tell.
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but it's not mine to share.
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She looked toward the window,
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her voice softer now.
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Let's just say,
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if you ever do hear it,
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you'll understand why he keeps the forge fire going so late.
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And there is something unusual that Gideon does each year.
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Every year,
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on the same night,
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Gideon disappears.
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No one knows where he goes,
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not even Nathaniel.
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He just vanishes and comes back,
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quieter than ever.
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ever before.
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I am sharing that with you because when he returns,
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his demeanor changes significantly for about a week after.
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You will feel like he is angry with you when actually he's angry at his inner turmoil.
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When does he leave?
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Charity looked down at the calendar on the wall.
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It looks like it's coming up in a few weeks.
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Mira's eyes followed Charity's gaze,
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back across the street to the forge,
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where smoke still trailed faintly from the chimney.
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What started as a walk for coffee became a glimpse into two lives shaped by fire and patience.
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Nathaniel,
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steady and kind.
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Gideon,
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guarded but burning with something untold.
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Mira sensed it.
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These men weren't just part of Promise Hill.
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They were part of her story now.
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And as for that one night Gideon disappears,
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it's coming.
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Soon.
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And it's no coincidence.
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Take it away,
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Kimberlee.
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What started as a walk for coffee turned into a holy interruption.
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Mira stumbled into two men,
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Nathaniel,
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the steady craftsman,
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and Gideon,
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the guarded blacksmith,
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each carrying wisdom wrapped in wood and fire.
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Their words?
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Quiet truth bombs.
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Broken doesn't mean useless.
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Shaping takes time.
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Sometimes healing does too.
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Charity dropped a few breadcrumbs herself,
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just enough to hint there's more to Gideon that meets the eye,
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especially around parade day.
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Mira's not just passing through anymore.
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Promise Hill is calling her deeper,
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and friend,
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something's coming.
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I promise you we'll get to Grandma Eden's list of self-care tools soon,
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or at least a few of them.
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One more thing before we dive into reflections and action steps.
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You may not want to listen to all the reflections,
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and you certainly may not want to do all or any of the action steps.
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Don't feel you have to.
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I love to give choices,
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and you can use whatever you feel like using,
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including nothing at all.
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Maybe you're just here for the story,
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and that's okay too.
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I'm just happy to have you here.
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Let's dive into our five reflections.
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Number one,
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we are not thrown away.
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God shapes us.
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Nathanael's words about woodworking mirror how God sees us.
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Even with imperfections,
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we are shaped by his hands,
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not discarded.
275
00:11:34.541 --> 00:11:35.400
Hear it and hold it.
276
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Isaiah 64,
277
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verse 8.
278
00:11:38.463 --> 00:11:38.845
Yet you,
279
00:11:38.986 --> 00:11:39.361
Lord,
280
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are our Father.
281
00:11:40.627 --> 00:11:41.470
We are the clay,
282
00:11:41.720 --> 00:11:42.533
you are the potter.
283
00:11:42.970 --> 00:11:44.549
We are all the work of your hand.
284
00:11:45.767 --> 00:11:47.330
So maybe you've been feeling chipped,
285
00:11:47.970 --> 00:11:48.455
cracked,
286
00:11:49.095 --> 00:11:52.142
like life's carved a little too much off the edges.
287
00:11:52.820 --> 00:11:53.140
Boy,
288
00:11:53.321 --> 00:11:54.502
I know what that feels like.
289
00:11:55.623 --> 00:11:56.184
But friend,
290
00:11:56.783 --> 00:11:58.846
God doesn't toss aside what's flawed.
291
00:11:59.244 --> 00:12:00.186
He gets closer.
292
00:12:00.807 --> 00:12:03.049
Like Nathanael with a crooked piece of wood,
293
00:12:03.752 --> 00:12:04.635
he leans in,
294
00:12:04.869 --> 00:12:07.072
sees the grain underneath and says,
295
00:12:07.455 --> 00:12:08.479
I can work with this.
296
00:12:09.729 --> 00:12:10.776
You're not scrap.
297
00:12:11.463 --> 00:12:13.276
You're not too far gone.
298
00:12:14.276 --> 00:12:16.588
You are still in the hands of the craftsman.
299
00:12:17.260 --> 00:12:18.447
And when God shapes,
300
00:12:18.666 --> 00:12:19.947
he shapes with purpose.
301
00:12:20.822 --> 00:12:21.854
Reflection number two.
302
00:12:22.804 --> 00:12:24.726
The fires of life refine us,
303
00:12:24.986 --> 00:12:25.908
not destroy us.
304
00:12:26.986 --> 00:12:31.596
Gideon's forge is a powerful image of how hardships refine our character.
305
00:12:32.275 --> 00:12:33.955
Trials aren't meant to break us.
306
00:12:34.619 --> 00:12:36.080
They're supposed to make us stronger.
307
00:12:37.721 --> 00:12:38.517
Hear it and hold it.
308
00:12:38.658 --> 00:12:40.338
Malachi 3 verse 3.
309
00:12:41.556 --> 00:12:44.650
He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver.
310
00:12:45.119 --> 00:12:48.306
He will purify the Levites and refine them like gold and silver.
311
00:12:49.404 --> 00:12:52.507
If you've ever felt like the heat's been turned up in your life,
312
00:12:52.546 --> 00:12:53.228
you're not alone.
313
00:12:53.890 --> 00:12:56.972
Gideon's Forge isn't just a place where metal bends,
314
00:12:57.171 --> 00:12:58.695
it's where strength is born.
315
00:12:59.335 --> 00:12:59.991
That fire,
316
00:13:00.491 --> 00:13:01.999
it's not there to destroy you.
317
00:13:02.515 --> 00:13:05.945
It's there to draw out what doesn't belong and reveal what does.
318
00:13:06.882 --> 00:13:09.116
God's not walking away when things get hard.
319
00:13:09.351 --> 00:13:11.507
He's pulling up a stool next to the fire,
320
00:13:11.648 --> 00:13:12.132
watching,
321
00:13:12.601 --> 00:13:13.195
refining,
322
00:13:13.241 --> 00:13:17.398
knowing exactly how long to leave you in before pulling you out stronger,
323
00:13:17.929 --> 00:13:18.413
steadier.
324
00:13:18.564 --> 00:13:19.385
and more like him.
325
00:13:20.186 --> 00:13:21.788
So if you're in the thick of it right now,
326
00:13:21.907 --> 00:13:23.571
don't assume you're being punished.
327
00:13:24.110 --> 00:13:28.274
You might just be in the forge and that means something precious is being formed.
328
00:13:30.297 --> 00:13:31.633
Reflection number three,
329
00:13:31.657 --> 00:13:33.555
even silence carries a story.
330
00:13:34.805 --> 00:13:38.165
Nathaniel's stillness and Gideon's fire spoke louder than words.
331
00:13:38.665 --> 00:13:43.430
Sometimes people's quiet presence isn't shaped by untold pain and earned wisdom.
332
00:13:44.337 --> 00:13:46.633
Not everyone's story is ready to be shared.
333
00:13:46.900 --> 00:13:48.721
but that doesn't mean it doesn't hold weight.
334
00:13:49.983 --> 00:13:50.903
Hear it and hold it.
335
00:13:50.985 --> 00:13:52.567
Proverbs 20 verse 5.
336
00:13:53.126 --> 00:13:55.727
The purposes of a person's heart are deep water,
337
00:13:56.672 --> 00:13:58.915
but one who has insight draws them out.
338
00:14:00.071 --> 00:14:02.094
Not every story comes wrapped in words.
339
00:14:02.516 --> 00:14:04.016
Some are carried in silence,
340
00:14:04.157 --> 00:14:10.938
in the way someone grips their coffee mug a little too long or stares out the window like they're somewhere else entirely.
341
00:14:11.797 --> 00:14:12.860
Nathaniel's stillness,
342
00:14:12.985 --> 00:14:14.782
Gideon's steady fire.
343
00:14:15.976 --> 00:14:16.737
They weren't empty.
344
00:14:17.018 --> 00:14:19.101
They were full of things not yet spoken.
345
00:14:20.044 --> 00:14:20.826
We forget that,
346
00:14:20.904 --> 00:14:21.267
don't we?
347
00:14:21.908 --> 00:14:23.189
We rush in to fix,
348
00:14:23.388 --> 00:14:24.568
to fill the silence.
349
00:14:25.091 --> 00:14:27.255
But sometimes the holiest thing we can do...
350
00:14:27.836 --> 00:14:51.439
is sit beside someone and let the quiet speak because pain doesn't always announce itself and wisdom doesn't always need a microphone so be the kind of person who listens with your eyes who doesn't push who trusts that when the time is right what's buried in those deep waters will rise if someone kind is there to draw it out reflection
351
00:14:51.642 --> 00:14:56.845
number four god often uses ordinary moments to prepare us for something sacred
352
00:14:57.824 --> 00:14:58.625
A simple walk,
353
00:14:58.865 --> 00:14:59.886
a clang of a hammer,
354
00:15:00.167 --> 00:15:01.667
a hot mug in a bakery.
355
00:15:02.288 --> 00:15:05.815
They were all breadcrumbs leading Mira closer to something deeper.
356
00:15:06.495 --> 00:15:09.354
Don't overlook the divine in the everyday.
357
00:15:10.620 --> 00:15:11.721
Hear it and hold it.
358
00:15:11.854 --> 00:15:13.182
Proverbs 3 verse 6.
359
00:15:13.893 --> 00:15:14.925
In all your ways,
360
00:15:15.034 --> 00:15:17.784
acknowledge him and he will make your path straight.
361
00:15:19.159 --> 00:15:21.831
We're always looking for burning bushes and parted seas.
362
00:15:22.471 --> 00:15:23.628
But more often than not,
363
00:15:23.768 --> 00:15:27.331
God shows up in the clink of a spoon or the warmth of a mug.
364
00:15:27.680 --> 00:15:28.980
Press between your palms.
365
00:15:29.580 --> 00:15:31.341
He speaks through the ordinary,
366
00:15:32.499 --> 00:15:33.421
through routines,
367
00:15:34.663 --> 00:15:38.226
through the nudge to stop and breathe when everything feels too loud.
368
00:15:39.242 --> 00:15:42.523
That's what was happening to Mira even when she didn't know it.
369
00:15:42.765 --> 00:15:43.242
A walk,
370
00:15:43.484 --> 00:15:43.921
the wood,
371
00:15:44.109 --> 00:15:44.671
the fire,
372
00:15:45.109 --> 00:15:47.187
tiny moments carrying holy weight.
373
00:15:47.718 --> 00:15:48.671
They weren't random,
374
00:15:48.859 --> 00:15:49.843
they were breadcrumbs.
375
00:15:51.062 --> 00:15:52.812
Or sometimes I call them Godwinks.
376
00:15:53.390 --> 00:15:53.859
So today,
377
00:15:54.062 --> 00:15:56.452
don't overlook the sacred just because it's simple.
378
00:15:57.012 --> 00:15:58.213
God doesn't always shout.
379
00:15:58.673 --> 00:16:03.132
Sometimes he just clinks the metaphorical teacup and waits for you to notice.
380
00:16:04.874 --> 00:16:06.077
Reflection number five.
381
00:16:06.397 --> 00:16:09.358
God reveals the right people at the right time.
382
00:16:10.155 --> 00:16:13.296
Mira didn't stumble into that workshop and forge by accident.
383
00:16:13.749 --> 00:16:14.374
She was led,
384
00:16:14.889 --> 00:16:17.249
not with lightning bolts or angel choirs,
385
00:16:17.296 --> 00:16:18.124
but with a whisper,
386
00:16:18.624 --> 00:16:21.233
a feeling that drew her toward something deeper.
387
00:16:22.452 --> 00:16:23.421
Hear it and hold it.
388
00:16:23.499 --> 00:16:25.421
Ecclesiastes 3 verse 1.
389
00:16:25.928 --> 00:16:30.473
There is a time for everything and a season for every activity under the heavens.
390
00:16:31.274 --> 00:16:38.176
Sometimes God doesn't bring people into your life until your heart is ready to hear what their presence reveals.
391
00:16:39.098 --> 00:16:42.364
Nathaniel and Gideon weren't just skilled with wood and fire.
392
00:16:42.785 --> 00:16:46.332
They carried lessons that Mira couldn't have grasped a month ago.
393
00:16:47.129 --> 00:16:48.317
Maybe not even yesterday.
394
00:16:49.285 --> 00:16:51.207
She had to walk through grief first.
395
00:16:52.348 --> 00:16:54.973
She had to feel the ache to understand the shaping.
396
00:16:55.580 --> 00:16:56.481
And when she did,
397
00:16:56.721 --> 00:17:00.425
God positioned the right people in the right moment to help her begin again.
398
00:17:01.347 --> 00:17:04.386
So if you're wondering why some doors open later than others,
399
00:17:04.769 --> 00:17:07.035
or why certain people show up out of nowhere,
400
00:17:07.574 --> 00:17:10.293
it might just be because now is when you're ready.
401
00:17:11.011 --> 00:17:13.058
Trust that God's timing isn't slow.
402
00:17:13.558 --> 00:17:14.605
It's specific.
403
00:17:16.464 --> 00:17:16.839
All right,
404
00:17:17.058 --> 00:17:19.558
let's talk about five action steps.
405
00:17:19.605 --> 00:17:20.168
And remember,
406
00:17:20.824 --> 00:17:22.808
use what you want and ignore the rest.
407
00:17:25.200 --> 00:17:27.182
Action number one.
408
00:17:27.183 --> 00:17:29.443
Let God reframe what you call broken.
409
00:17:30.584 --> 00:17:32.627
You may feel like a warped piece of wood,
410
00:17:32.748 --> 00:17:34.346
flawed and misshapen by life,
411
00:17:34.791 --> 00:17:36.814
but that doesn't mean you're unusable.
412
00:17:37.291 --> 00:17:37.611
Today,
413
00:17:37.791 --> 00:17:39.291
spend time in prayer asking,
414
00:17:39.892 --> 00:17:40.236
Lord,
415
00:17:40.338 --> 00:17:43.799
what do you see in me that I've overlooked or labeled as unworthy?
416
00:17:45.002 --> 00:17:50.924
Then write down one part of your story you've been challenged with and ask God to reshape how you view it.
417
00:17:51.388 --> 00:17:52.369
Now I want to remind you,
418
00:17:52.589 --> 00:17:54.972
if you've had some traumatic times in your life,
419
00:17:55.651 --> 00:17:57.335
this exercise wouldn't be for that.
420
00:17:57.413 --> 00:18:01.858
This is for the more of the minor things that need some attention.
421
00:18:02.460 --> 00:18:03.843
For more of the deeper ones,
422
00:18:04.124 --> 00:18:05.983
deeper areas of your story,
423
00:18:06.179 --> 00:18:13.304
that would be important to sit with someone that either is a really good friend or a trained therapist.
424
00:18:15.038 --> 00:18:15.710
Action number two,
425
00:18:16.491 --> 00:18:18.491
ask God what the fire is forging,
426
00:18:18.647 --> 00:18:20.163
not just what it's burning away.
427
00:18:20.820 --> 00:18:22.161
Hardships aren't pointless.
428
00:18:22.682 --> 00:18:23.444
They purify.
429
00:18:24.203 --> 00:18:26.147
In your journal or quiet time,
430
00:18:26.244 --> 00:18:28.069
list a trial you've been walking through.
431
00:18:28.729 --> 00:18:29.127
Under it,
432
00:18:29.205 --> 00:18:33.393
write three possible things God could be strengthening in you through it.
433
00:18:34.033 --> 00:18:35.338
Some ideas are courage,
434
00:18:35.651 --> 00:18:36.174
humility,
435
00:18:36.416 --> 00:18:37.104
patience,
436
00:18:37.229 --> 00:18:37.838
endurance.
437
00:18:38.682 --> 00:18:40.432
If you're meeting with a counselor or mentor,
438
00:18:40.604 --> 00:18:42.385
bring this into the conversation.
439
00:18:42.901 --> 00:18:45.385
Invite them into the refiner's fire with you.
440
00:18:45.447 --> 00:18:47.682
Action Question number three,
441
00:18:48.072 --> 00:18:49.604
practice quiet presence.
442
00:18:50.004 --> 00:18:51.465
for yourself or someone else.
443
00:18:52.186 --> 00:18:55.831
Choose one moment this week to not fill the silence.
444
00:18:56.452 --> 00:19:00.038
Whether you're sitting with someone who's hurting or sitting alone with your own grief,
445
00:19:00.397 --> 00:19:00.991
don't rush it.
446
00:19:01.475 --> 00:19:02.796
Let the quiet be sacred.
447
00:19:03.960 --> 00:19:05.897
Use breath prayers in that space.
448
00:19:06.366 --> 00:19:07.835
So as you're breathing in,
449
00:19:08.069 --> 00:19:09.147
say God is here.
450
00:19:09.866 --> 00:19:11.178
And then when you breathe out,
451
00:19:11.585 --> 00:19:12.631
say God is with me.
452
00:19:14.413 --> 00:19:15.303
Action number four,
453
00:19:16.053 --> 00:19:18.288
look for one sacred breadcrumb in your day.
454
00:19:19.164 --> 00:19:20.067
Before the day ends,
455
00:19:20.127 --> 00:19:24.541
pause and name one ordinary moment that carried unexpected peace or meaning.
456
00:19:25.001 --> 00:19:25.646
A smell,
457
00:19:25.724 --> 00:19:26.349
a sentence,
458
00:19:26.350 --> 00:19:27.029
a gesture.
459
00:19:27.596 --> 00:19:30.016
Write it down and thank God for speaking softly.
460
00:19:33.258 --> 00:19:34.137
Number five,
461
00:19:34.138 --> 00:19:37.235
discern who God may have placed in your life for this season.
462
00:19:38.860 --> 00:19:39.360
Ask God,
463
00:19:40.000 --> 00:19:43.625
who have you placed in front of me for a reason I haven't fully seen yet?
464
00:19:44.297 --> 00:19:45.219
Then take one step,
465
00:19:45.407 --> 00:19:45.875
reach out,
466
00:19:46.047 --> 00:19:46.516
follow up,
467
00:19:46.688 --> 00:19:48.360
sit across from them with intention.
468
00:19:50.657 --> 00:19:50.922
All right,
469
00:19:50.923 --> 00:19:51.766
let me pray for you.
470
00:19:53.157 --> 00:19:53.844
Father God,
471
00:19:54.094 --> 00:19:57.016
thank you for quiet mornings that whisper healing.
472
00:19:57.408 --> 00:19:59.411
for sunlight that nudges us awake,
473
00:19:59.790 --> 00:20:02.212
for the smell of sawdust and fresh bread,
474
00:20:02.595 --> 00:20:04.716
for the gentle grace of a new beginning.
475
00:20:05.493 --> 00:20:05.774
Lord,
476
00:20:05.993 --> 00:20:07.376
some of us are like Mira,
477
00:20:07.579 --> 00:20:09.720
carrying more grief than we know what to do with.
478
00:20:10.259 --> 00:20:11.282
We've shoved it down,
479
00:20:11.384 --> 00:20:12.126
tried to forget,
480
00:20:12.306 --> 00:20:13.227
buried it deep.
481
00:20:13.743 --> 00:20:14.149
But you,
482
00:20:14.259 --> 00:20:14.618
God,
483
00:20:15.446 --> 00:20:21.712
you have a way of guiding our feet into places that speak truth before we've even realized we're listening,
484
00:20:22.477 --> 00:20:24.181
like the steady hand of a carpenter.
485
00:20:25.148 --> 00:20:27.130
You shape what we thought was beyond repair.
486
00:20:27.751 --> 00:20:28.991
Like the fire in the forge,
487
00:20:29.013 --> 00:20:32.036
you refine what's been bent and broken under pressure.
488
00:20:32.493 --> 00:20:33.759
You don't throw us away.
489
00:20:33.915 --> 00:20:34.915
You repurpose.
490
00:20:35.376 --> 00:20:36.220
You redeem.
491
00:20:36.736 --> 00:20:37.564
You restore.
492
00:20:38.564 --> 00:20:40.626
Thank you for the Nathans in our lives,
493
00:20:40.681 --> 00:20:41.282
those steady,
494
00:20:41.407 --> 00:20:45.267
quiet souls who teach us that patience is part of the process.
495
00:20:46.032 --> 00:20:47.173
Thank you for the Gideons,
496
00:20:47.267 --> 00:20:50.907
those who know the heat of the flame and still choose to step back in,
497
00:20:51.439 --> 00:20:52.611
not just for themselves,
498
00:20:52.673 --> 00:20:54.251
but for others who are burning too.
499
00:20:55.036 --> 00:20:55.537
And Lord,
500
00:20:55.917 --> 00:20:57.899
when we feel too warped to be useful,
501
00:20:57.979 --> 00:20:59.819
too cracked to carry anything good,
502
00:21:00.202 --> 00:21:02.522
remind us that you are the craftsman.
503
00:21:03.327 --> 00:21:04.624
You see what others miss.
504
00:21:05.084 --> 00:21:07.147
You know how to reshape us with mercy.
505
00:21:07.592 --> 00:21:11.311
You know how to use the fire not to destroy but to strengthen.
506
00:21:12.811 --> 00:21:13.170
Help us,
507
00:21:13.233 --> 00:21:13.499
God,
508
00:21:13.561 --> 00:21:17.061
not to run from the places that feel intense or uncomfortable,
509
00:21:17.436 --> 00:21:20.467
but to lean into the moments where you're doing holy work.
510
00:21:21.124 --> 00:21:23.780
Sometimes healing comes through hammers and chisels.
511
00:21:24.088 --> 00:21:26.149
through unexpected conversations,
512
00:21:26.491 --> 00:21:29.872
through coffee and croissants and kindness at a bakery counter.
513
00:21:30.973 --> 00:21:31.176
God,
514
00:21:31.196 --> 00:21:32.700
if there's something buried in us,
515
00:21:32.880 --> 00:21:35.481
stir it up just enough for us to take notice.
516
00:21:36.059 --> 00:21:37.598
If we're standing in the fire,
517
00:21:37.841 --> 00:21:39.942
show us that you are right here with us.
518
00:21:40.372 --> 00:21:42.669
And when it's time to walk out of the forge,
519
00:21:43.387 --> 00:21:46.075
let us come out not just healed,
520
00:21:46.372 --> 00:21:48.169
but shaped into something stronger,
521
00:21:48.575 --> 00:21:48.966
truer,
522
00:21:49.153 --> 00:21:50.731
and more deeply yours.
523
00:21:51.387 --> 00:21:52.778
We may not know what's coming.
524
00:21:53.064 --> 00:21:55.425
but we trust the one who holds the tools.
525
00:21:55.947 --> 00:21:56.547
In Jesus'
526
00:21:56.728 --> 00:21:57.347
holy name,
527
00:21:57.910 --> 00:21:58.308
amen.
528
00:21:59.250 --> 00:21:59.730
Friends,
529
00:22:00.211 --> 00:22:03.914
may you find peace in the presence and hope on the hilltop.
530
00:22:04.398 --> 00:22:05.656
This is Kimberlee Herman,
531
00:22:06.078 --> 00:22:08.179
cheering you on from Promise Hill.